When I started blogging more on the website, my vision was to write posts that were not only personal to me, but that would also be beneficial to my readers. One of the things I hoped to do was showcase local businesses that I love, and today I bring you the very first post that does just this—showcases a business that I absolutely cannot live without. And what’s even more exciting is the giveaway that is at the end of this post! YES! Make sure to read past the pictures to find out how to enter!

Some of you may already use and love Mary Kay products. Some of you, though, may be like me, who, up until a month ago, thought the products were just like all other skin care products available and (I am honestly embarrassed to admit this) thought that they were focused mainly on the “older” crowd who were worried about wrinkles and such. I have come to learn, though, that Mary Kay offers products that are seriously way better than anything found in the drugstore and are targeted at all age groups. Let me tell you how I came to this realization.

Up until a month ago, I had been using a foundation that I was not really happy with. But, after trying just about every shade in every brand out there, I had just given up wasting the money to try to find the perfect color of foundation for my face. If I found a shade that was close, I would end up looking like a mess by the end of the day. If I found a solution that would wear until the end of the day, I would find out halfway through the day that the color on my face most certainly did not match the color of my neck. It was sometimes so bad that I hoped that the lighting in the room where I was going would be dark so that nobody would notice my terrible, terrible, terrible foundation misfortunes.

But then I talked with Amanda…and she encouraged me to meet with her for a free Mary Kay facial. And that changed everything!

Amanda is an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay with an awesome husband and the two cutest little girls I have ever seen. But, what I’ve learned from Amanda is that in her Mary Kay business, she is not really ‘independent’ at all. She goes to conferences and trainings and is truly qualified to be giving skin care advice. She is passionate about enriching women’s lives not only through giving skin care advice, but also by connecting with them and meeting them where they are. And, if you talk to Amanda for even a few minutes, she will tell you that first and foremost she is dependent on God and keeps her faith at the forefront of her life, even before all of her business needs.

In my first meeting with Amanda about Mary Kay, I told her my foundation concerns, and, after trying a few different shades, I am happy to announce that I am now the proud owner of the PERFECT foundation! Not only so, but after buying some of the other skin care products, I now get excited to wash my face because of how clean and awesome it feels. And, to add on to the excitement of feeling great, since I have been using the products, someone told Amanda that my face looks ‘angelic.’ Wow. That would never have been said about my foundation foe one month ago!

I am so happy about the whole experience, that I could not keep it to myself! If you are reading this and you have skin care concerns, contact Amanda! She is more than willing to help and (I promise) not in a weird or creepy way at all. And, because she is just so amazing, she is willing to give away some awesome Mary Kay product! So, browse through the pictures below and read on about how to enter the giveaway!

Go back on Facebook and write a status about the giveaway, connecting people to this blog post or to both Facebook pages (example: Check out the giveaway @Jen Stem Photography and @Amanda Wycoff Mary Kay Page are doing!). Once you do this, leave a separate comment below. Make sure to either have the link to this post or the tag to the facebook pages.

Check out Amanda’s Mary Kay website here and send an email to Amanda through the website (under “contact me”). Then, come back here and write in another comment that this is completed.

That is all you have to do! Three easy ways to enter! Contest is open now and will be ending this Thursday (January 26, 2012) at midnight eastern time. Winner will be announced on Friday! Remember to make sure each entry is in a separate comment to be eligible. Good luck!

Thank you all for entering! The random number generator on random.org has selected the comment that belongs to Sarah Sova Hasty as the winner! Sarah, please contact Amanda as soon as possible to claim your prize! Congrats!